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For more than 60 years, Russ Carlyle was a big band singer. He even had his own band. He played all the best hotels, was in short subject movies, on radio and television. Now that the band days are behind him, he's retired to a new profession - writer.

Over the years, he's always been writing, sending movie script ideas to his daughter, Phyllis, a Hollywood producer. She told him it was time he wrote a book. So he did. He finished the first draft ten years ago. He gave a copy to Bob Stafford, KLKS announcer, who encouraged him to go ahead and have more copies made.

The book, "Soul of a Child," is now in print. It's the story of two families, a Somalian Muslim family in Mogadishu, and what happens when the young Ismail meets the mother he thought was dead in Los Angeles. Carlyle's knowledge of the movie industry, his interest in people shines through the book. He touches on many themes; the war in Somalia, the love of a father for his son, the clash of cultures, and there's a love story.

Actually, he wrote the book ten years ago and had put it aside. He gave a copy to Bob Stafford, KLKS, who liked the book and suggested Carlyle should have more copies made. The book is available at Beautiful Antiques in Pequot Lakes, Rainy Days Bookstore in Nisswa and Book World in Brainerd. He also has two more books almost ready to be published, "Prediction" and "Puppies also cry", a story from his days as a kid on a farm.

Romantic Style of Russ Carlyle

Carlyle's band days started in 1938 when he joined the Blue Baron Orchestra as the featured singer. The band was playing at the Southern Tavern in Cleveland and broadcasting on the radio. There was a musicians strike in New York, and the band was heard by Maria Kramer, owner of the Edison Hotel on Broadway. "She gave us a nine-month contract," Carlyle said. "We had a record contract and were on the radio coast to coast. We even did movie shorts for Paramount and Warner Brothers."

In 1939 he was voted the fourth best vocalist in the U.S. This was a time when the big bands often were in the big movie theaters, Carlyle said. The bands would be the attraction and the theater would show B films.
When World War II broke out Carlyle was in the Army in a chemical warfare unit. The Colonel had heard Carlyle sing and moved him to Special Services. "I met Joey Bishop there," Carlyle said. "He was just starting out as a comedian. We put together an act like Martin and Lewis. We played all the Army bases in Texas."

When the war was over, the two went their separate ways. Once out of the service, Carlyle put together the kind of band he wanted. He hired an arranger and "within two weeks I had one of the finest bands." He got a booking at the Blackhawk in Chicago for a month and was so popular the band was there for six months. The Blackhawk show was more than just a great band. Carlyle said all the musicians did other things; they had a comedy routine, special singers numbers, and a variety show act.

"We were entertainers," he said. "We changed the act every two weeks. That's how we stayed there for six months."
Sam Lutz, an agent, heard the band and offered to manage Carlyle. "All I had was a fine band and no money," Carlyle said. "He wanted 15 percent and said he'd get me a record contract and a television show. I couldn't do it. I said he could have 20 percent, if he got me a record contract and on television. He wanted money up front and I couldn't do it." Carlyle said two months later Lawrence Welk was doing what he had in mind.

Reminiscing about the band days, Carlyle said Tommy Dorsey offered him the vocalist spot with the Dorsey band.
"I was in New York, doing well and trying to get a television show. I wondered what would happen if he fired me, so I said no."